Wichita eagle., 1887-06-07
NORTH AND EAST.


A ride yesterday up north Emporia to
the location of the stock yards and across
Chisholm and down the east side Of that
stream to Douglas avenue convinced us
that very few people even in this city have
q remote idea of the immense building op-
erations now in progress here. Oak David
son, president of the Citizens Bank, told
us one day last week that he had that day
driven a couple of Eastern bankers over
the city and out to the suburbs, and that
great were their EXPLANATIONS of surprise
at the vast Improvements. And he said
now / will tell you that | was surprised
myself. Wichita today is not only sur
prise to strangers but to her own
people. Many who are most in
terested in the permanent pros
perity of the city looked with mistrust
and forboding of evil upon the rapid rise
In the value of real estate here, and those
who are jealous of this prosperity have
manufactured lies and circulated them over
the country in the hopes of injuring the
character of this most wonderful Of all
cities, and stop her marvellous growth.
And while they watch with envious eyes
to behold the impending collapse and ruin
which they supposed would result from
theiI envious schemes, the magic city con-
tinues her majestic strides to more mag
niicent grandure and more solid pros
perity. AS we proceed to the north part OF
the city one sees great numbers of resi-
dence houses in course of construction, and
many more which seem to have just been
completed and occupied. There is great
activity in the neighborhood of
the new stock yards. A
large force of men are at work there, and
an immense amount of material is being
unloaded from cars. A large force on the
Rock Island in the neighborhood of the
yards, are laying track and bridging
Chisholm creek. A large hotel near the
yards is being rapidly built, and everything
there indicates that the men who are
making these Improvements, have full faith
tn at large per cent of the stock in the
southwest will not only be handled through
these yards, but that packing houses of
sufficient capacity will in the near future be
erected in that vicinity TO pack all the hogs
and cattle naturally tributary to this point.
From the east side of Chisholm creek, a
drive of two and one half miles south to
Douglas avenue, gives one an opportunity
to see something of the immense improve
me nts in that part of the city. Where only
one year ago were corn and wheat fields,
are now hundreds and hundreds of resi-
dence houses most of which are two stor-
les and some three This part of the city
h as some nice broad streets, but with no
trees like the older residence streets, be-
cause most all the houses have been built
W thin a year. All along the brow of the
hill east of the valley around Fairmont
College, Frisco flights, and on College Hill
m agnificent dwellings look down on the
valley below. They form a magnificent
picture n the eastern sky. A large part
of the houses in this new part of the city
are occupied and many more nearly COM
pleted Quite a number of tents could be
seen along the creek, the occu-
pants of which we supposed
are waiting for the completion of their new
home. A large number of carriages were
in the new streets and the people sitting
out on their porches last evening, or gath
cred in groups along the streets were pic
ture of contentment and happiness.
While driving along these beautiful new |
streets and noting these evidences of pros
perity and enterprise and contentment we
thought if even we had no interest in this |
young magnificent city of the plains, even
If our interest were in some other city COM
pc ting for the trade of this valley; yet |
from the bottom of our heart could we say |
God bless Wichita in all her great under
fakings.